Battle of the Drumline at Benedict stadium

An annual event is bringing the beat to Columbia, including a high energy drumline show Wednesday afternoon.

The 14th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic takes place this week, with a slate of events on tap leading up to Benedict College’s Saturday season opener against Livingstone College.

Among the highlights of a week of events is the Battle of the Drumline show, starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Benedict College’s Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, 2047 Two Notch Road. The show is free and open to the public.

Participating marching bands include several from Richland 1 and Richland 2, as well as those from Benedict and Livingstone, among others, said Linda Huggins, deputy director for Palmetto Capital City Classic.

The drumline show is just a sliver of the week’s events. Other activities include a golf tournament, Old School Funk Party at The Township, a music festival and tailgate party.

Huggins said the Palmetto Capital City Classic’s goal is to raise scholarships for students who will attend historically black colleges and universities. Over the years, more than $400,000 has been raised.

Huggins said though she is proud of that amount, she hopes to continue to see it rise through the rest of the week.

“I wish we had more money to give to more students,” she said.

Huggins said she encourages anyone interested in a great show to come out to Wednesday’s Battle of the Drumline show and other events this week.

“It’s more than a game,” she said. “It’s an experience.”

This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 4:44 PM.